VZCZCXRO8313
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHC #9219/01 1871441
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 022212Z JUL 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 6745/6746
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5154/5155
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 5198/5199
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 069219 
 
SIPDIS, SENSITIVE 
 
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y  (ADDED CAPTION) 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON SOCI
SUBJECT: UN HABITAT: WORLD OF SLUMS GROWING 
 
STATE 00069219  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a June 22 meeting with Principal Deputy 
Assistant Secretary Phillip Carter, Dr. Anna Tibaijuka, the 
United Nations' Under Secretary General and Executive 
Director of UN Habitat, emphasized the need for countries to 
recognize the challenge of slum urbanization that is 
spreading throughout sub-Saharan Africa.  According to 
Tibaijuka's studies, 72% of urban populations in sub-Saharan 
Africa live in slums.  Terming urbanization as sub-Saharan 
Africa's "second greatest challenge" (after HIV/AIDS), 
Tibaijuka noted four critical areas for policy-makers and 
donors to address: 1) land administration/tenure; 2) 
financial innovations; 3) municipal and city planning; and 4) 
water and sanitation.  Tibaijuka stressed that if unchecked 
and neglected, slum urbanization would have adverse 
implications on a given country's health and development 
potential - significantly diminishing any possibility of hope 
or positive growth for a country - in particular its youth. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  The United Nations' Under Secretary General and 
Executive Director of UN Habitat (Nairobi), Dr. Anna 
Tibaijuka, met on June 22 with Principal Deputy Assistant 
Secretary Phillip Carter to brief him about UN Habitat's 
concerns and outlook regarding slum urbanization throughout 
sub-Saharan Africa.  Also attending for UN Habitat was its 
Washington, DC-based representative, Mr. Chris Williams. 
Foreign Affairs Officer Charles Chang attended on behalf of 
IO. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
Slum Urbanization: Not Just in the Big Cities 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU)  Tibaijuka opened the discussion by offering an 
assessment of increasing slum urbanization throughout 
sub-Saharan Africa.  According to UN Habitat's studies, 72% 
of sub-Saharan Africa's urban populations live in slums. 
Terming urban growth in sub-Saharan Africa as "chaotic," 
Tibaijuka noted that slums were increasing not just in large 
urban areas, but also in what she called "secondary" cities 
throughout Africa.  Searching for better economic 
opportunities, large influxes of villagers are overwhelming 
secondary cities - which are less-equipped than capital 
cities to handle increased demographics.  Tibaijuka offered 
that these secondary and "rural" slums are growing at a rate 
of 10% per year. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  Tibaijuka noted that that food insecurity and 
elevated fuel prices compound and exacerbate slums' already 
harsh living conditions.  Sub-Saharan Africa ought to be, and 
once was a net food-exporter, she maintained.  Today it is a 
net food-importer.  Moreover, increased fuel prices have made 
energy availability both expensive and scant.  Bearing 
further pressure on sub-Saharan countries are inadequate 
infrastructure and a large and under-educated youth 
population. 
 
----------------------------- 
Building the Policy Construct 
----------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU)  Williams offered four points on which to build 
potential urbanization policy constructs: 1) land 
administration/tenure; 2) financial innovations; 3) municipal 
and city planning; and 4) water and sanitation.  Citing 
inadequate and out-dated property laws, insufficient credit 
and financial instruments, deficient municipal planning, and 
practically non-existent water and sewage services, he 
contended that governments, policy-makers, and the donor 
community must incorporate all of these points to create a 
dialogue about developing solutions for - as well as curbing 
- slum urbanization. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Expounding on these points, Williams opined that 
the urbanization dialogue is critical for all governments' 
long-term interests - notably from human and national 
security perspectives.  He argued that slums have the 
potential to become terrorist breeding grounds and havens to 
radicalize destitute youth. 
 
¶7. (SBU)  Tibaijuka added that both the International 
 
STATE 00069219  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank needed to "get on 
board" with regard to formally recognizing the urbanization 
problem.  In her view, these two, credible, multilateral 
organizations' endorsements are crucial to furthering 
recognition of this challenge.  She offered that by 2030, 
sub-Saharan Africa would cease to be a rural continent. 
 
---------------------------------- 
Championing the Urbanization Issue 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU)  Though not mentioning any high-profile or 
high-level individuals by name, Tibaijuka noted that need for 
someone to champion urbanization in the same way Darfur and 
HIV/AIDS have been.  Doing so would help to distill the issue 
and rally broad exposure and support for it. 
 
¶9. (SBU)  Pursuant to Tibaijuka's comments, Williams next 
noted two events which will serve to bring urbanization to 
the fore.  World Habitat Day will take place on October 5, 
2009 in Washington, DC.  According to Williams, there is 
already significant high-level USG support - notably from 
White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett's office (Derek 
Douglas is the point of contact there) and Housing and Urban 
Development Secretary Shaun Donovan.  UN Habitat had 
approached U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN, 
Ambassador Susan Rice, but according to Williams she had 
referred them to Assistant Secretary for International 
Organization Affairs, Dr. Esther Brimmer.  Williams also 
highlighted the World Urban Forum (WUF) which will take place 
March 22-26, 2010 in Rio de Janeiro.  Brazilian President 
Lula da Silva had already endorsed the WUF and agreed to 
attend. 
 
------------------------------- 
The Urbanization Policy Outlook 
------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU)  Noting the need to place urbanization at the 
center of AF's policy construct, P/DAS Carter termed UN 
Habitat's urbanization data as "critical" to AF's policy 
outlook.  P/DAS Carter noted the need to design policy with 
the urbanization challenge at the fore.  He also noted the 
need for specialists trained in dealing with 
urbanization-specific challenges.  He did not view 
urbanization's challenges as new, but better defined under 
the "urbanization" rubric. 
 
COMMENT 
 
¶11. (SBU)  Both Tibaijuka and Williams repeatedly noted the 
need for high-level support for recognizing and addressing 
slum urbanization.  The fact that the United Nations has 
already recognized this problem is an important first step, 
but not enough in their view, to properly address the issue. 
USG support at the highest levels will be the sine qua non to 
winning broad, international, and diplomatic support to 
respond to and address this issue.  Already having gained the 
attention of one White House senior advisor, a cabinet-level 
secretary, and an assistant secretary, UN Habitat will 
continue to press this issue.  AF must be duly prepared. END 
COMMENT. 
CLINTON